Many sheet-like products, such as paper products, are spirally wound into bobbins for sale to wholesalers, retailers, consumers and other manufacturing entities. In order to protect the bobbins during shipment and storage, an overwrap material is typically wound around the bobbin to protect its contents.
For example, cigarette papers, such as outer wrappers, inner wrappers, filter papers, porous plug wrap papers, and the like, are typically supplied to cigarette makers in the form of a spirally wound bobbins. A heavier overwrap material, such as a heavier paper, is typically attached to the leading edge of the cigarette paper and wound around the circumference of the bobbin. The end of the overwrap material is then adhesively secured so that the paper product does not unwind until the product is needed.
Cigarette manufacturers are known to provide vary detailed specifications as to not only the construction of the overwrap material but how the overwrap material is applied to the bobbin. The overwrap material, for instance, is typically used as a leader for threading the cigarette paper through a cigarette making machine. Thus, cigarette manufacturers typically have requirements for the overwrap material that make the overwrap material compatible with the cigarette making machines.
In the past, the process for applying the overwrap material to the bobbin has been tedious and labor intensive. For instance, the overwrap material is typically applied to cigarette paper by an operator after parent bobbins have been produced. For example, an operator may need to attach the overwrap material to the cigarette paper and apply adhesive where necessary. After the overwrap material is placed on the parent bobbin, the bobbin is then typically run through a slitter so as to produce multiple bobbins having a desired width.
After the overwrap material is applied, the individual bobbins are then typically subject to inspection prior to shipment to a customer. In fact, not only is the process for applying the overwrap material labor intensive, but, since it is typically carried out by an operator, the resulting bobbin products may not always be uniform. In view of the above, a need currently exists for a system and method for applying an overwrap material to a bobbin of sheet-like material, such as a bobbin of paper. In particular, a need exists for a system and method that is capable of automatically applying the overwrap material to a bobbin while staying within customer required specifications.